The Hated Routine
by Destiny Lockheart
Summary: Fluffy KuroFai. Kurogane reflects on the nighttime routine that has been imposed upon him.


Disclaimer: Don't own any of this. Except for maybe the plot. Then again, I think the plot may have been planted in my head by Mokona.

AN: First fic for this fandom.

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He had lost track of how long they had been traveling together and decided it have been far too long. While their clothes and the scenery around them changed, the four, technically five, of them had seemed to have fallen into a fairly stable routine. The routine could be good because it gave them a sense of stability, even if it was just within their small group. Kurogane, however, had never been too pleased with the nighttime routine. For one thing, he had to share a room with the damn mage who on some nights decided he wanted to stay up late and spout an infinite deal of nothing. For another, every so often the little white manjuu would jump around on his bed demanding to be hugged. Kurogane always pretended to be deeply asleep, and eventually the thing would give up and presumably move onto more promising prospects. 

Tonight had been on of the rare nights where Fai had crawled directly into bed without saying anything, and the white thing had seemed quite content to be spending the night with the princess. His suspicions should have been aroused, but the promise of a quiet night was just too tempting. So he had gone to his own bed without making sure the skinny guy was even still alive, though he did find it odd he might not be disturbed that night.

He did look over at the other's bed once before he fell asleep. He was not concerned or anything; he just thought it was strange he was going to let him fall asleep without at least calling him one of those stupid nicknames. He was stretched out flat on his stomach, and he appeared to be really asleep though Kurogane could not understand how anyone could ever sleep like that. He also didn't know it was possible for the wizard to fall asleep that fast. It had to be some sort of record for him; at least it was a record for the time they had been together. And they had been together longer than they had been with the kids. Even when they couldn't understand a word of what the other was saying, the damn mage had still insisted on talking to him every night. Even though he hadn't been able to understand a word of it, sometimes his expression alone had been enough to make Kurogane uncomfortable.

With a grunt, he decided he should enjoy the rare perfect night of sleep he would get. There was a chance he would never get that opportunity again. Certainly not while he was stuck with the kids.

He really should have known the perfect night wouldn't have lasted. Within a few hours, he felt the stupid white thing get onto his bed. He kept his eyes closed and stayed perfectly still, hoping it would be like the other nights and the thing would go away and try to cuddle someone else. Maybe eventually the thing would learn he was not a cuddling person.

It took a while for his brain to register not only that the thing next to him was not moving anywhere, but also it was far too big to be Mokona. Once it clicked, he realized the potential danger he was in and swiftly opened his eyes.

Only to find the damn wizard facing him curled on his side only a few inches away. "What the hell are you doing over here?" he growled, not too loudly as to not wake everyone else in the establishment and have someone possibly rush into the room. The last thing he needed was someone finding him in the same bed as that idiot. It was bad enough they always had to share a room and sometimes the innkeepers would try to give them a room with only one bed.

Fai didn't respond to him; in fact, he was giving all appearances of being asleep again. Kurogane knew he couldn't possibly been there long enough to fall asleep again. If he was awake, he was showing no intention of revealing that to Kurogane. And, Kurogane noted as he looked down at the slim shoulders, he was shaking slightly. "Are you sick or something?" If he was getting a cold, Kurogane definitely wanted to stay as far away as him as possible.

Fai remained resolutely silent, keeping his eyes closed and his breathing even. "Damn you! Get out of my bed!" He only raised his voice to just under the threshold of being heard by someone else. Still he could get no response from the man who for some unknown reason had decided to crawl into bed next to him.

He had finally resolved to just shoving the intruder unceremoniously on the floor and was about to do just that when the guy reached out with one hand and clutched at the front of Kurogane's shirt. "Kuro-chan..."

"What the hell? You are awake, aren't you?" Whether or not Fai was awake, apparently yelling at him was not the way to get him to respond. "Oi, what the hell is wrong with you?" he asked in a much quieter tone that was still somewhat violent in its underlying nature. He still couldn't get any response, even when he had asked so nicely. He decided he could just ignore it and go to sleep next to him, since it was obvious Fai was not planning on waking up or moving any time soon. He had just gotten used to the idea, after all, if he couldn't see him he could always pretend it was someone else lying next to him, and was just about to drift off to sleep again when the damn wizard moved closer and snuggled against his chest. The hell? That was definitely taking things too far. "What do you think you're doing?" he growled.

"Hm, Kuro-sama..." He hadn't thought it was possible, but somehow the damn wizard seemed to have moved even closer. Why did these things always have to happen to him? Why couldn't he ever have just one peaceful night of sleep?

After a while he decided something obviously was going on or else he would have gotten a response by that point. And the idiot obviously wanted something and was not going to give up until he actually got it, but was not going to ask directly either. Kurogane thought he had a vague suspicion of what it was. That didn't mean he had to be happy about it. But maybe he could do something nice for him just this once. It didn't mean anyone else would have to know about it.

He placed his arm around the idiot and placed his hand on the back of his head effectively pinning him in place against his chest. "Bastard, how do you always get me to do these things?"

"Don't know, Kurotan."

"Tch. Damn you." This was absolutely the only time this would ever happen. In fact, it shouldn't have been happening now, but he was tired and compiling with the damn mage was a lot easier than fighting with him. Especially when he was being so stubborn. Well, it could always be worse.

Shortly before daybreak, Mokona crept into the room and leapt lightly onto his pillow. "Kuro-puppy's cuddling!" With that the thing promptly latched itself onto his head and started to nuzzle him. He really hated routines.

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